STRESS

When a force acts on a member (such as a building

component), the member develops an internal resistance to
the applied force. The intensity of internal resistance to the
applied external force is called the stress . If the applied force
is large, the internal resistance is large, and so is the stress. If
the applied force is small, the stress developed in the member
is also small. If a member is unable to develop any resistance
to an applied force, the stress in the member is zero.
The stress can either be compressive or tensile, depending on
the type of external force. If the external force is compressive,
the stress created in the member is compressive stress (or
simply compression ), and if the external force is tensile, the
stress created in the member is tensile stress (or simply
tension). A column or wall in a typical building is in
compression. In a simple truss made of two rafters and a
ceiling joist, the rafters are in compression and the ceiling joist
is in tension.
Stress is nearly always accompanied by deformation of the member.
The deformation caused by a compressive or a tensile stress is simply
the change in the length of the member. Tensile stress causes the
member to elongate, and compressive stress causes it to shorten. We
are interested in both the absolute value of the change in length and its
relative value. The relative change in length, defined as the change in
length divided by the original length, is called the strain.